Asset Manager Lazard Makes ETF Splash With 5 Filings
At 175 years old, Lazard might be the oldest legacy asset manager to migrate into the ETF space.
Five months after telegraphing its move into the ETF space with the addition of ETF veteran Robert Forsyth to lead the expansion, Lazard Asset Management has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to introduce its first exchange-traded funds.
The 175-year-old New York-based asset management firm with nearly $250 billion under management in mutual funds and separate accounts, will make its ETF debut by highlighting its reputation for managing international stock and bond strategies.
The filing, which does not yet include ticker symbols, includes the Lazard Emerging Markets Opportunities ETF, the Lazard Equity Megatrends ETF, the Lazard International Dynamic Equity ETF, the Lazard Japanese Equity ETF, and the Lazard Next Gen Technologies ETF.
The ETFs are expected to launch later this year. The company declined to comment while the filings are under SEC review.
Lazard Migrates Into ETFs
Of the five new ETFs, the International Dynamic Equity ETF will be created through the conversion of the Lazard International Equity Advantage Portfolio mutual fund (IEAIX), which has $28 million and an expense ratio of 1.75%. Once converted to an ETF, the fund fees will drop to 40 basis points.
The expense ratios are not listed in the filing for the new ETFs.
Forsyth, who joined Lazard from State Street Global Advisors, where he was global head of ETF strategy, now reports to Jennifer Ryan, head of North American distribution, in his role at global head of ETFs.
The exec's arrival followed Lazard's June 2024 launch of its first ETF product, the Lazard Global Listed Infrastructure Active ETF (GIFL), for Australian investors.
As part of the Forsyth announcement, Lazard stated that the firm "will continue to build on this launch, along with a new sub-advised ETF mandate in the U.S.”
“The firm’s plan to build its ETF platform is a continuation of its strategy to develop products and solutions that further evolve Lazard’s investment platform and distribution capabilities,” the statement added.